Filter-conveyer for solvent extractors



Aug. 1, 1950 l J. A. FALER 2,516,968

VFILTER-CONVEYER FOR SOLVENT EXTRACTORS Filed Sept. 4, 1946 4Sheets-Sheet l W1 '1 'NESSES Qwmw 1950 J. A. FALER 2,516,968

FILTER-CONVEYER FOR SOLVENT EXTRACTORS Filed Sept. 4, 1946 4Sheets-Sheet 2- 55 B 51 l 59 53 E I 26- ,4 m i a W.] 'I'NESSESINVEN'I'OR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Ja/mLFaZez',

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 1, 1950 J. A. FALER FILTER-CONVEYER FOR SOLVENT EXTRACTORS FiledSept. 4, 1946 Patented Aug. 1 1950 FILTER'PCUNYEYEHFOR SOLVENTEXTRACTORS John A. ,Faler,,aFarmington,wMieh. assignor: to Detrex,Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a. corporation of Michigan ApplicationSeptember 4, i946 Serial'No. 694,799

21 Claims.

This invention relates 'ilto elevators. More specifically it isconcerned withuelevator structures useful in connection :with.extractionlapi paratus generally of the type disclosed in U. S.

Patent 2,377,135 granted to Clarence FhDinley and William LoMeCracken onMay29, 1945, for :extracting oils, fats or othervaluablezsubstances fromflaked, CI'llShBdflOl'. otherwise comminuted .materials suchforexample'as soya beans, cotton seeds; corn germs, milk-weed seeds,sun-flowen seeds, :linseed, mustard seeds, nuts f" various kinds, copra,meatiscraps includinguoffalgcrisp cake and liver meal. I. lnithispatented apparatus,

the. material is progressed along a. closed; horinzontal .LBXtIEtCtiOIlchannelixor trough by amscrew Nconveyer with the particles free to moveabout in solvent cliquidflfiowed acounterwise; and after E: havingtraversed said channel ortrough; is removed by another screw conveyer1111.8, relatively long upwardly sloping lift" tube and altherebyelevated for'delivery to ax further: processing mmeans in the formxof adrier. irWhile this lift tube and conveyer arrangement hasuproveduperfectly efficient and satisfactory "in operation as armeans forremoving the material afterextraction, it restricted drainageofirthersolvent fromilthe materiallduring its elevation. PMoreover;theruseuthereof i prohibitive linvtinstallautions where suificientspace. is lacking 1'. foririts accommodation.

My invention has for one of-mitsaims tmove i come the 'foregoing ldrawbacks. This: objective is realized in z practice, as hereinaftermore fully s disclosed; through :provision of: a relatively-sim- .plevertical elevator structurein whichlan'endless belt scoopconveyer isenclosed in a :vaportight: housing having ausump'inrits bottomain directcommunication withxthe treating chan- -nel or trough of therextractor,and in which is incorporated means permitting eifectiveidrainage of thematerialtto take place as it is continually elevated from" the sumpafter having undergone extraction, to aereceivingameans in the top ofthe housing wherein an auxiliary conveyer operates to continuallydischarge the ma- ,terial through a tube extending laterally from -thehousing, with maintenance in said tube of a seal to prevent escape ofsolvent vapors.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear in the followingdetailed clescription'wof the attached drawings,wherein Fig 1 isa brokenout fragmentary viewpartly in side elevation and -partly in sectionuofan V elevator structure conveniently embodying my 3 invention, togetherwith the adjacent portion of i ,::the treating: channel; or trough: ofthe extraction 1 apparatus.

, i Fig; 2 is a cross section taken. asdndicatediby the angledarrowsll-aII' in Fig: 1.

Fig 3 is aufragmentary view in vertical i580- ltion: takenaswindicatedehyt the angled... arrows III-III inFig. 1.

i Fig. awhorizontaL-asection taken gas indi- 1 cated bytheangled.arrows,IV-,-IV in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5.1 is e a ifragmentary View; generallytlik Fig.1 showing amodified'embocliment.

Fig; 6 is: a fragmentary; iviewnin section taken as indicatedt by :theangled; arrows 1 VI--- in Fig. 5.

.Fig. l 7 is. a fragmentary view.r also; generally like Fig.,1mshowingwzanother alternative raconstruction.

i Fig.- 8 is a fragmentaryeiviewo also? like Fig.1 1

showing a furtherrmodifieationr and Fig'uQtis ahorizontalrsectionittakem as indicated by, :the. angledtiarrows IX--IX:in'fF'igJ =8; With reference first moreiparticularly toFi gs.

.l-i of theseslillustrationsgimy iimprovedzlelevator structure, inthe,viormutthereushown icomprises an upright;vaporetightuhousinglllwwhichumay be of: metalnwithiafsump 1 h in the lower portionTLFthEI'BOf-l I. Connectingvinto tone: sidexrof lthexhousing 0 is thehorizontal covered ztreatingi trough w :l 21 ref: an extraction.apparatusrlike' :that shown in the, Dinleyir et cal: patentuhereinbeforemen- -tioned. The divided materials-to;bewprocessed a 1 is lcontinuallykintroducedcinto :the; ,famendtmot shown "of the r-trough 1 il2rtanditheiiparticlesi nor aflakes w arem continually! advanced:" rightwardrbya rotary feed screw 13; while free toimovetabout :the solvent sinlather.sametmanner as disclosed in the: references that contaminated solventior miscella being continually it a withdrawn through i a strainei orfilter inot Jshown):.= at: said far: end

of the Jtrough with 1 maintenance of the l liquid level i always :1 netslightly. aboveizthe top 1 of the wwscrewwthread as indicated.mAc'cording to my invention, :fresh ssolventxis continually introducedinto the sump l lmthrough: a pipe, l 5 leading from a suitableqsourcey:lofwsupply notiillustrated. .2: For

1, the purpose of continually removing treatedlsolid housing IIJia-liftconveyer: l6 of1 it material from, rtheosump 5H Wthere his "withinxithee endless; belt type i which moveswas, indicatedebyr :the arrows in Fig;1 and which consists of a pair of laterally gspaced chains l1: tseeFig.2: 4) *vvhichxare Ftrained about sprockets? l8 Land" 9 wonavertically vspaced :shaftsZO andaZl. fliS ljournaled at one rend -ins abearing. 221;('Eig.-.2) afiixedw to a cross wmembenvflviof rthe mousing3 framework adjacent the rear Wall 24 (Fig. 2), its other end extendingout through a stufiing box bearing 25 secured to the front wall 26. Thelower sprocket shaft 2| is journaled in bearings 21 supported, withcapacity for up and down adjustment, by relatively short angles 28extending between'a'pair of vertically spaced cross members 29 and 30secured to the inner faces of the front and rear walls 25 and 24 of thehousing near the bottom. Through such adjustment it is possible tocompensate for wear of the sprocket chains I! from time to time andthereby keep them taut. Hung crosswise between the chains I! atintervals are scoops 3! Which, in rounding the lower sprockets l9,gather up suspended solid material from the liquid in the sump II asshown in Fig. '1. The scoops 3|, it will be noted, have sloping frontwalls 32 and closed ends 33 but are open at the back, themclination ofthe front walls being downward and .-inward of the upward moving run ofthe conveyer Is at the left of Fig. 1. Disposed adjacent the upward runof the conveyer I6 is a stationary filter screen 35 havinglaterally-spaced Vertical rods 36 against which the bottom edges of thescoop fronts 32 and the rear edges of the scoop ends 33 slidingly bearas they rise from the liquid in the sump II, the spacing of said rodsbeing such as to prevent passage of the material particles between themwhile permit ting the excess solvent to drain from the material in the.scoops back into the sump. As best shown in Fig. 2, the screen 35 has aframe with top and side bars 3! and 38 and a number of suitably spacedhorizontally arranged intermediate bars 39 which are all welded orotherwise permanently secured together and by which the rods 38 arerigidly supported. At their bottom ends the rods 36 and the side bars 38of J the filter frame are rounded, as at 48, substan-,

tially in concentric relation to the axis of the lower sprocket shaft 2|so as to be clear of the path of the conveyer buckets 3!. The filterscreen 35 extends partway of the height of the inward from said walls,

' housing [8, being supported at the top from a smooth surface againstwhich the backs of the conveyer scoops 3i slidingly bear in theirfurther I rise, and which thus serves as a guard to prevent loss of: thematerial temporarily from said scoops. A fixed vertical guide rail 46within the housing with which the top edges of the 1 scoop fronts 32contact, insures positive engagement of the backs of the scoops 3| withboth i with the top edge of the guard plate 45.

the screen rods 36 and the guard plate 45.

Immediately below the upper chain sprockets I8 is a hopper 41 of whichone side wall meets As the conveyer scoops 31 rise above the top edge ofthe guard plate 45, the material, by reason of the slope of the scoopfronts 32, is spilled into the I hopper 4'! as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A continuously operating auxiliary rotary "screw conveyer 48 in thebottom of the hopper 41 removes the material as fast as it is receivedand discharges it laterally from the housing through a delivery tube 49(Fig. 2) which has adownward outlet 50'for connection to otherapparatus. such, for example, as a drier (not shown) for. furtherprocessing the materialk in the delivery tube 49.

Within the confines of the housing I8, the bottom of the hopper 41 isperforated or provided with a retlculate screen inset as conventionallyindicated at 5| to permit further drainage of excess liquid which mayhave been carried along with the material, the hopper bottom and thescreening being also conformative with the thread of the conveyer screw48- so as to be continually wiped thereby and thus kept clean.

As shown, the screw conveyer 48 terminates short of the outlet 58 of thetube 49 to determine the formation and maintenance immediatelytherebeyond in said tube, of a plug of the material as at P in Fig. 2 toserve as a seal to preclude escape of solvent vapors in eitherdirection. In this function the screw 48 is assisted by an archingshroud 52 which contacts with the screw threads at the top, and whichalso aids in insuring forward progression of the material In order thatthe attendant of the apparatus may check on the action of the screwconveyer 48 in its plugging function from time to time, a sight glass 53has been applied over the outer end of the delivery tube 48.

At the top of housing I0 is an electric motor M which transmits powerthrough a V-belt connection 56 to the input shaft of a speed reducingunit R. The belt pulley 55 on the shaft of the motor M is of theregulatable type, such as a Reeves variable speed pulley; and said motoris slidably mounted for adjustment along guide rods 51 on a fixed base Bto enable changing of the belt centers for increase or decrease inspeed. Such adjustment of the motor M is effected by means of a threadedspindle 58 in the base B having a hand wheel at one end asshown in Figs.1 and 2. By means of a sprocket chain connection 58, motion is in turntransmitted, at reduced speed, from the output shaft 59 of the unit R tothe shaft 20 of the upper sprockets I8 of the elevating conveyer chainsl'l. Through still another chain connection 50, motion is communicatedat the proper speed from the sprocket shaft 28 to the delivery conveyerscrew 48 whereof the shaft 6| extends outward through a stufiing boxbearing 62 in the front wall 25 of the housing I0, and receives furtherrotative support in an outboard bearing 63.

For convenience of access to the moving parts within the housing [0,when desired or necessary, the latter is provided in its side wall 64with an opening 55 which is normally closed by a removable panel 66.Through glazed sight openings 6'! and 68 in the side wall 64respectively below and above the panel 65, it is possible to observe thefunctioning of the lift conveyer IS in the regions of scoop loading anddischarging.

Operation As the scoops 3| emerge from the liquid in the sump l I, theycarry along quantities of soaked extract material. Since the finerparticles of the'material float at the top of the liquid in the sump lland the coarser particles are submerged, the coarser particles will becaught in the lower portions of the scoops 3|, and the finer particlesin the upper portions of the scoop as the latter rise in the liquid. Asa result, the coarse material will tend to support the finer materialand prevent it from passing through the screen 35 after the scoops areelevated from v the liquid, and moreover act as a filter for theagsrcgocs finer particles. i The movement of the lift conveyer beingrelatively slow,-ample time "is afforded for draining ofmost of theliquid from -the material in the scoops before the'latter reach -theguard plate 45. Throughout their rise, the scoops 3| are maintained indirect contactwith tthe'bars 36 of the screen by the actionof the guiderail it to prevent escape of anyof the -material from them, theinterstices between the screen bars' being kept from clogging by "reasonof the wiping action of said scoops. Upon --e1evation of the scoopsabove the guardplate 45, the material discharges from them by gravityinto the hopper 41, the discharge beingfacilitated bythe slope of'thescoop fronts 32. As themateri'al drops into the hopper 41, it isimmediately picked up by the auxiliary conveyer 4B and ad- "vanced intothe delivery tube 49 for ultimate discharge therefrom through the outlet50 for "example into a direct-connected drier, not shown. 'During'progression in the hopper ll, opportunity is afforded for drainage ofany liquid which may still have been retained in the mate'rialas thelatter passesover the screen 51 in the hopper bottom. Thus bythe timethe "material has passed through the delivery tube "49,'it is fairlydry. As hereinbefore explained a plug P of the material is constantlymaintained in the tube 49 immediately ahead of the outlet 50 toprevent'hot vapors from the drier from entering the elevatorhcusing. The liftconveyor '16 and the auxiliary delivery/ screw conveyer'lB arecontinually driven through the chainconnections 58 and 60 from the speedreducer R,

powered by the single electricmotor M. This drive arrangement isobviously advantageous by virtue of its simplicity. Inpractice the speedof. the two chain connections 58 and El! isso coordinatedwith that ofthe feed screw I3 of the extractor, the rateof input of the raw materialinto the extractor channel or trough l2, "andthe rate of solvent supplyto the sump H, "thatthe processing is carried out smoothly andeffectivelywith assurance of a maximum yield 'of the extract. It is tobe particularly noted -"that the scoops 3 I, by virtue of their novelcon struction and arrangement as hereinbefore described, in entering andpassing through the liquid in the sump II 'cause very littleagitation.'This'is highly advantageous in practice since it does not undulydisturb the floating fines which latter are therefore readily picked upand deposited upon the coarser material gathered up bythe scoops in thebottom ofthe sump I l. The scoops of my invention are moreoveradvantageous in that they permit the conveyer to be 'run at much lowerspeeds without impairment of their capacity'to properlydischargetheircontents into the hopper 41 than would be possible with the ordinary orconventional type of conveyer buckets. v In the modificationillustratedin Figs. 5 and 6, fresh solvent is conducted into the lowerpart of the casing lea by way of a pipe lfiahaving a plurality ofbranches ill which respectively discharge 'into'small weir troughs 'II'attached at diiferent levels to the inner face of the side wall 53a. Theoverflow from the Weir troughs H' spills intcthe "filled conveyer'scoops 3|a at the rising-side of the lift conveyer 16a and therebyaffects a final leaching of any residualfoil or fatcontained in thematerial after it is taken from the sump i id .and before it isfilteredby the screen 35a as its .Ielevation continues. .As shown, the pipebranches are provided with individual valves 72*for con-' trollingliquidflow"into the weir troughs H: I hfe *fresh solvent is ta'ken fronr asupplytank 13 beneath the treating trough t2 a' through a: l drain ipipe" 14 and delivered -.to "the pipe l Set by a rotary metering pump15. As a further improvement,

-the filter screen 35w isin this instance pivotally supported centrallynearitsbottom by a bolt l6 fixed *in it a} bar Ma it which extendscrosswise between thefront and rear walls of thehousing 'lfla. As ameans for oscillating the screen '35a above l the pivot 16, r I haveshown 'at 'l'lin Fig.1 6, an

7, thebranches 10b of the pipe [5b are provided, within the housing 10b;withterminal nozzlesc83 which are angularly directed downward so las tospray the clean solvent into the loaded upwardlytrav eling' conveyorscoops 31b. The nozzles 83 may be reached for the purposes of adjustmentor cleaning upon removal of a panel 65b thatcovers an accessopening 65bin the sidewall fi lb of the housing Hlb. "In an other respect theconstruction here is identical with" that of' FigsJI-Q5 and 6. l

' The two modifications just' described are especially suited foroperation with materials which are coarse and do not readily break upinto fines during extraction. As the-fresh solvent is ap pliedto thematerial in the scoops of the lift conveyer in either instance, theresidual contaminated solvent on the surface of the materi'aliseffectively displaced. The liquid in the sumpQa-lthough replenishedbycontinually introduced "freshsolvent, nevertheless contains tracesofthe extract. Thus treatment of the material inthe scoops with freshsolvent during elevation favors the attainment of a maximum yield ofthe. extract before the material is discharged fromthe elevator. I

In order to prevent the conveyor scoops from scraping against andthereby wearing awa the screen, I-resort in actual practice to theconstruc-..

tion shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Here it wi1l.be ob:

served that thelpins of the conveyer chains tic are extended outwardly.as at85 and providedindividually with rollers 85 for engaging fixedvertically-arrangedguid track. rails 8'! and-8B ,respectively. .Theserails 81 and-88 are so positioned as to determine a spacingof a fewthousandthsl of an inch between the bottom edges of thescoops Bio andthe front face ofJthe screen 35c and so preclude. direct contact andwear betweenlthe former andthe latter.

Having thus described my invention, I claimi elevator structure of thecharacterdescribed including .a sump for reception of liquid carryindivided solid material; .an endless belt lift conveyer trained aboutverticallyspaced wheels and provided with a series-ofscoops with frontand end walls and open backs which, in rounding the lower guide wheel,gather up divided material from the liquid in the sump; averticallyarranged filter screen along the upwardly moving run bf. the.conveyerslidingly engagedby'thebaclss of the "filled rising scoops toassist in retaining the materials in the scoops while permitting thescoops for maintaining the latter in engagement with the filter screen.

4. An elevator structure according to claim 1,

wherein the front walls of the scoops are sloped 50. that in the upwardrun of the conveyer they incline downwardly toward the screen and thusfacilitate liquid drainage from the material during its elevation aswell as discharge of the material subsequently into the receiver.

5. An elevator structure accordin to claim 1, wherein the lift conveyercomprises two laterallyspaced chains; wherein the wheels are in the formof sprockets; and wherein the scoops are supported crosswise between thechains.

6. An elevating structure according to claim 1, wherein the screenextends from the sump part way up the rising run of the conveyer;wherein an imperforate guard surface extends above the screen in theplane thereof wherewith the scoops .slidingl engage to insure retainmentof the material in its further elevation; and wherein the receiver is inthe form of a hopper into which the scoops spill their contents as theyrise above said surface.

'wherein the conveyer is enclosed in an upright air-tight housing havingglazed sight openings adjacent the top and bottom thereof in one of itswalls through which the pick-up and discharging functions of theconveyor scoops can be observed.

9. An elevator structure according to claim 1, wherein the lift conveyoris enclosed in an airtight housing; wherein the receiver is in the formof a hopper with a deliver tube extending laterally outward therefromthrough one side of the housing; and wherein an auxiliary conveyeroperates to continually advance the material from said hopper into saidtube.

10. An elevator structure according to claim 1, wherein the liftconveyer is enclosed in an airtight housing; wherein the receiver is inthe form of a hopper with a deliver tube extending laterally therefromthrough one side of the housing,-

said tube having a downward outlet at its outer end; wherein anauxiliary conveyer advances the material from the hopper into the tube;and wherein said auxiliary conveyer extends into the tube but terminatesshort of its outlet to deter 'mine formation and maintenance immediatelyin advance of the latter, of a plug of the material to 'serve as a sealagainst escape of solvent vapors from thehousing.

11. An elevator structure according to claim 1,

of 'a'hopper with a discharge tube extending laterallytherefroin;wherein an auxiliary rotary screw conveyer operates to advance thematerial. from the hopper into the tube; and wherein a portion of thehopper bottom is reticulate and contacts conformatively with the threadsof the screw to permit further drainage of excess liquid from thematerial back into the sump.

12. An elevator structure according to claim 1, wherein the liftconveyor comprises two laterallyspaced chains; wherein the chain wheelsare in the form of sprockets; wherein the scoops are supported crosswisebetween the chains; and further including a motor supported at the topof the housing and operatively connected to the shaft of the upper chainwheels.

13. An elevator structure according to claim 1, wherein the conveyer isenclosed in an air-tight housing; wherein the lift conveyer comprisestwo laterally-spaced chains; wherein the chain wheels are in the form ofsprockets; wherein the receiver is in the form of a hopper with adischarge tube extending outwardly through one side of the housing;wherein an auxiliary rotary conveyer screw operates to advance thematerial from the hopper through said tube; and further including amotor at the top of the housing operatively connected to the shaft ofthe upper sprocket wheels and also to the rotary screw conveyer in thereceiving hopper.

14. An elevator structure according to claim 1, wherein the screen issupported by a fixed pivot for edgewise oscillation in its own plane;and further including means for vibratin it about its pivot.

15. An elevator structure according to claim 1, wherein the liftelevator is enclosed in an airtight housing; wherein the screen issupported by a fixed pivot for edgewise oscillation in its own plane;and further including an externally disposed vibrator with a rodconnection extending, with a tight fit, through a diaphragm in a wall ofthe housing to the screen.

16. An elevator structure according to claim 1, further including anauxiliary conveyer for disposing of the material elevated by the liftconveyer; gear means connecting the two conveyers for operation at afixed ratio; and regulatable drive means for the gearing.

1'7. An elevator structure according to claim 1, further including anauxiliary conveyer for disposing of the material elevated by the liftconveyer; gear means connecting the two conveyors for operation at afixed ratio; a speed reduction unit from which the gear means derivesits motion; and regulatable drive means for said speed reduction unit.

18. An elevator structure according to claim 1, further including aconduit constructed and arranged to supply fresh liquid for dischargeinto the scoops immediately upon emergence of the latter from the liquidin the sump.

19. An elevator structure according to claim 1, further including aconduit for conduction of fresh liquid; and a wier above the liquidlevel in the sump receiving the fresh liquid from the conduit and fromwhich the fresh liquid is spilled into the scoops as they emerge fromthe liquid in the sump.

chain conveyer trained about vertically-spaced Wheels and provided witha series of scoops with open backs, closed ends and inclined fronts,which, as the convey er rounds the lower wheels, gather up dividedmaterial from the liquid in the sump; a vertically-arranged filterscreen along the upwardly removing run of the conveyer facing the openbacks of the filled rising scoops and permitting the residual liquid todrain from the material during its elevation; and a guide surfacecoacting with the conveyer chain to prevent direct contact of thecontiguous rear edges of the scoop sides and the bottom edges of thescoop fronts with the screen.

JOHN A. FALER.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 550,033 Wheeler Nov. 19, 18952,225,799 Robinson Dec. 24, 1940 2,227,605 Swallen Jan. '7, 1941 102,451,081 Ford Oct. 12, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 569,242France Oct. 12, 1922

1. AN ELEVATOR STRUCTURE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED INCLUDING A SUMP FORRECEPTION OF LIQUID CARRYING DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL; AN ENDLESS BELTLIFT CONVEYER TRAINED ABOUT VERTICALLY-SPACED WHEELS AND PROVIDED WITH ASERIES OF SCOOPS WITH FRONT AND END WALLS AND OPEN BACKS WHICH, INROUNDING THE LOWER GUIDE WHEEL, GATHER UP DIVIDIED MATERIAL FROM THELIQUID IN THE SUMP; A VERTICALLYARRANGED FILTER SCREEN ALONG THEUPWARDLY MOVING RUN OF THE CONVEYER SLIDINGLY ENGAGED BY THE BACKS OFTHE FILLED RISING SCOOPS TO ASSIST IN RETAINING THE MATERIALS IN THESCOOPS WHILE PERMITTING DRAINING OF RESIDUAL LIQUIID FROM THE MATERIALDURING ITS ELEVATION; AND A RECEIVER AT THE TOP OF THE CONVEYER FORRECEIVING THE FILTERED MATERIAL FROM THE SCOOPS.